Here's a video that's artificially "aged," with footage of Route 66 from Texas, Oklahoma and Missouri. (No Kansas?) The music is "Route 66," as performed by the Nat King Cole Trio.
Category: Attractions
Meeting will discuss Route 66’s future in Illinois
The Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project and Pontiac tourism are hosting a meeting at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in Pontiac's City Council chambers to get opinions on how to guide the historic highway's future in Illinois, reports the Bloomington Pantagraph. The meeting ... will help develop the “interpretive master plan” with Schmeeckle Reserve Interpreters, a Wisconsin … Continue reading Meeting will discuss Route 66’s future in Illinois
Notes from the road
Dida Zende, an artist based in Berlin, is looking for at least one old gas station along Route 66 to repaint so it resembles a FIT art gallery (above). It would be repainted mostly white, with a bit of red trim and the FIT logo. Zende wants to come do this free of charge in … Continue reading Notes from the road
Rebuilding Amboy one chicken at a time
The Inland Press-Enterprise of Southern California published an excellent article about Juan Pollo restaurant chain owner Albert Okura and his efforts to restore Roy's and the nearly abandoned town of Amboy, Calif. "Everyone who has owned Amboy has been in it to make money," he said. "You can't. "I see this as a marketing avenue … Continue reading Rebuilding Amboy one chicken at a time
Needles brainstorms about revitalizing downtown
The Route 66 town of Needles, Calif., wants to revitalize its downtown, and is seeking input from residents on how to do so, according to the Mohave Daily News. One of the ideas floated sounds intriguing: A Hot Rocks and Rods on Route 66 event is currently envisioned as an alternative energy fair with music. … Continue reading Needles brainstorms about revitalizing downtown
Creator of the Launching Pad restaurant dies
John Korelc, the founder of what became the Launching Pad Drive-In on Route 66 in Wilmington, Ill., died at age 87 on Friday in nearby Joliet, reports the Joliet Herald-News. The Launching Pad originally was called the Dari Delite when it opened in 1960. That change the restaurant's name to its current moniker in 1965. … Continue reading Creator of the Launching Pad restaurant dies
As cool as Steve McQueen
Ron Stahl of the Daily Oklahoman does a near-heroic job tracking down obscure museums in the Sooner State, including a few near Route 66 that escaped my notice or haven't visited yet. I have heard about the relatively new Route 66 Vintage Iron Museum in Miami, Okla., but didn't know about its special collection: One … Continue reading As cool as Steve McQueen
Hail to the chief
The University of Illinois retired its longtime mascot, Chief Illiniwek, in March because the symbol was offensive to some American Indians. Some Illini fans are still none too happy with this development. Tom Heinrich of Dwight, Ill., decided not to let the memory of Chief Illiniwek perish. He had an old elm tree trunk in … Continue reading Hail to the chief
Pontiac may host mural festival
The Pontiac (Ill.) City Council voted Monday night to approve the creation of two new Route 66-themed murals in town, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph. That wasn't a surprise, as Pontiac's zoning board greenlighted the murals, which will be painted by Diaz Sign Art, last week. But there's this new item that was interesting: Bill Diaz … Continue reading Pontiac may host mural festival
Will Catsup Bottle Summerfest return?
St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Amanda St. Amand wandered over to the informal gathering this past weekend near the World's Largest Catsup Bottle (it's actually a water tower) in Collinsville, Ill., after the namesake's annual festival was canceled several weeks ago. In essence, the festival got the ax during a dispute between the nonprofit Downtown Collinsville … Continue reading Will Catsup Bottle Summerfest return?